The Trump administration has spent days heavily promoting the finished renovations at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, crediting the president with making Washington, DC, look ‘better than ever.’ However, a day after the reservoir was filled post-renovations, there was already quite a bit of algae visible from the water’s edge.

Renovation Details

CNN spotted a worker clearing the algae from the bottom of the recently filled pool while shooting a video on Wednesday. Asked for comment, an Interior Department spokesperson said the algae is ‘residual’ and a normal part of the early process of restarting operations at the Reflecting Pool.

‘What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines, which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks while construction has been taking place. It’s part of the normal startup process. We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae free,’ communications director Kate Martin said in a statement.

The Trump administration has been touting the newly renovated Reflecting Pool, and Trump himself has repeatedly bragged about the $14.2 million pet project in public remarks recently — including to farmers in Wisconsin and in multiple unrelated events in the Oval Office.

Cost and Controversy

The cost of the renovations has gradually ticked upward. The president had initially said the renovation would cost $1.8 million, but that went up to $13.1 million before seemingly settling at $14.2 million.

Residents and tourists around the reflecting pool Wednesday morning offered mixed reviews on the renovations, including the ‘American flag blue’ paint newly coating the bottom.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.